With orchestral arrangements from the legendary Van Dyke Parks, “Don’t Freak Out” is dazzling in its lively composition alone, with the vocals of Lovett and the long-running Asheville Symphony adding fervency. The track comes via a collaboration from The Asheville Symphony, a long-running staple established in 1960. They just put out a full-length entitled The Asheville Symphony Sessions, featuring artists like Doc Aquatic, Electric Owls, Free Planet Radio featuring Lizz Wright, Lovett, Matt Townsend, Rising Appalachia, Shannon Whitworth, and Steep Canyon Rangers. They deem it “a musical love letter from Asheville to the world” in its exploratin of folk, jazz, R&B, bluegrass and the many genres that have graced Asheville. The orchestral backing, as usual, is excellent; with powerful vocals and great songwriting to boot, it’s a release worth checking out.
The Making of Asheville Symphony Sessions from Erin Derham on Vimeo.
